COPS pursued a motorist and confiscated their Audi vehicle after spotting the car’s number plate.
West Midlands Police officers swooped in and pulled over the driver in Dudley on March 15.
West Midlands Police pulled over an Audi vehicle in Dudley when they noticed it had been stolen[/caption]
It later turned out that it was a stolen vehicle with a cloned number plate which had been sold to the unsuspecting motorist, Express & Star reported.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, officers wrote: “#RoadCrimeTeam officers stopped this cloned Audi in Merry Hill using tactics to avoid a pursuit.
“It turned out the car was stolen & had been sold to an innocent purchaser who will now lose their money. ***Please do extensive checks when buying cars to avoid this happening to you.”
The issue of car cloning is growing across the UK.
In Kent, reports of number plate thefts have risen by 37% in the past four years.
From 815 cases in 2020, the number soared to 1,120 last year.
Similarly, in London, a 64% increase in the number of fines cancelled due to cloned plates was reported over three years.
Ch Supt Rob Marsh from Kent Police highlighted that stolen or cloned plates are often used to commit other crimes, from avoiding tolls to making off without paying for fuel.
He noted that the rise in living costs could be driving people toward these crimes.
The Home Office is taking action, collaborating with the police and the DVLA to combat number plate fraud, as part of a new Road Safety Strategy aimed at reducing road deaths and preventing related crime.
What is number plate cloning?
Number or licence plate cloning is where someone steals the identity of your car by using your licence plate number on their own vehicle.
Crooks will typically choose a near-identical car to the one they intend to clone so it goes unnoticed for as long as possible, according to motor firm Wilsons.
It said they tend to pick cars with a clean history, such as no parking tickets or speeding fines.
Any offences they commit while driving the car will then be blamed on the genuine owner of that licence plate number.
Criminals may find licence plates on the internet or by looking for cars out and about.
Many drivers may unwittingly post a picture of their car online, meaning fraudsters can easily steal its identity.
What do I need to do if my car is cloned?
If you receive a parking or speeding fine you don’t recognise, you may have been a victim of licence plate cloning.
The first thing you need to do is contact the police to get a crime reference number, and report it to the DLVA.
When you report car cloning, try to include any evidence to show that your car wasn’t actually involved, such as if you have proof you were somewhere else on that date.
Ask for any photographic evidence, as this might help you demonstrate that you weren’t involved.
How do I prevent car cloning?
While it’s difficult to entirely prevent your car being cloned, there are a number of ways you can help protect yourself.
Parking your car off the street and somewhere secure, such as a garage, can prevent crooks from taking down your licence plate and any other features on your car, according to GoCompare.
CCTV or a dash cam on your car could also help you track down if anyone has been lurking around your vehicle.
Be careful with what you share online, too. Avoid posting photographs where your car registration number is clearly visible.
